Insights from the American Customer Satisfaction Index

Driver Satisfaction Shake-Up for Luxury Cars

Drivers who opt for luxury are typically among the most satisfied, according to two decades of ACSI research on customer satisfaction with automobiles and light vehicles. When it comes to premium-priced vehicles, manufacturers strive to pair top-notch service with features aimed at comfort and luxury—all of which helps boost satisfaction.

ACSI findings for 2014, however, reveal widespread deterioration in driver satisfaction. Among 21 measured car brands, 80% show some decline in ACSI compared with the prior year. The two that take the hardest hit are both luxury makes: Acura and Cadillac. By contrast, Germany’s Mercedes-Benz still leads the field as it did in 2013, albeit at the lower ACSI score of 86, while GM’s Buick is one of only two nameplates to post a gain (+1% to 83).

With a sharp drop of 7%, Honda’s Acura tumbles down to last place for 2014. In its second year of measurement, Acura scores 77, down from 83 a year ago. Another luxury newcomer to ACSI, Audi, inhabits the low end with a debut score of 79.

Cadillac, GM’s flagship luxury make, plunges 6% to 80, failing to score above average for the first time in ACSI history. The drop in customer satisfaction for Cadillac coincides with news that the brand’s August year-on-year sales in the U.S. are down 18%, in sharp contrast to the industry’s overall gain of 5.5%.